The Snapping Turtle The snapping turtle, while in the same family as the alligator snapping turtle, is its own species. Snapping turtles are freshwater turtles that can be found throughout the eastern areas of North America. In some areas, the snapping turtle is also called the snapper. Snapping turtles are known for their personalities which can be very combative when they are not in the water. They have powerful jaws that are very beak-like and their head and neck are very mobile and have often been referred to as “snake like.” They are usually found in shallow waters like ponds, lakes and streams. Some live in estuaries. Every once in a while it is possible to see these turtles floating on the surface of the water, showing only their shell. Often, snapping turtles will lie in the mud at the bottom of shallow water, lifting their heads when they need to breathe. The snapping turtle is an omnivore and while they are skilled scavengers, they also hunt and prey upon fish, frogs, some invertebrates, some retiles, smaller turtles, small mammals and even some birds. These turtles also travel quite a bit to find new places to live and new places to lay eggs. While turtles are known for finding their original birth place to lay eggs, many environmental agents have caused these turtles to expand their terrain. The mating season for the snapping turtle lasts from April to November, and they lay their eggs in June and July. The female can hold the male's sperm for a few seasons and are able to use it only as often as they need to. The females prefer to lay their eggs in sandy soil, away from the water. Anywhere from twenty five to eighty eggs can be laid each season and the female will use her hind feet to move the eggs into the nest after laying them. Depending on the temperature of the environment, egg incubation can take between nine and eighteen weeks. Snapping turtles are only found in North America, and the earliest evidence of them dates back to the middle of the Miocene area. Evidence found in Cherry County, Nebraska confirms this. There is a myth that says it is safe to pick up a Snapping Turtle by its tail and that doing so will not harm the animal. The reality is that doing this is very likely to cause injury to the tail as well as the turtle's vertebral column (causing them great pain). If you do handle them, you need to be very careful as these are quick and powerful creatures. Adult snapping turtles are able to easily bit off toes and fingers. Some snapping turtles, when kept captive have been known to turn docile and even show some preference to the person who is keeping it. It has been known to recognize different people and will seek out the person it likes the best. Some snapping turtles can be taught to follow simple commands, but because they are stubborn it can take a long time to train them.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #1 Turtles are members of the Reptile family and they are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. They have been around for more than two hundred million years. This makes them as old as the dinosaurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of turtles all over the planet.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #2 Sea turtles are the most popular of all of the turtles. These are also some of the largest creatures—some sea turtles can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds. Scientists think that sea turtles are actually land creatures that went back into the water and never came out. Over time their limbs evolved to make them stronger swimmers and to keep them in the water: their front appendages are actually flippers.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #3 All turtles, even sea turtles, are air breathing creatures. While some turtles can stay under the water for hours at a time, they all must surface at least once a day to stay alive. There is one turtle, the giant turtle that only has to surface once a day to take in air. There are some studies being done to see if some species of turtle might be able to draw oxygen from their cells much like some fish use their gills to breathe.